Not ready for a website? At least do this one thing.

Even business owners and non-profit leaders that understand they NEED a website may not be able to take that step right now. And that's okay for a season. But there is one thing that virtually any business can do to help increase their online presence. And it's free. Yep. Absolutely free.

What is it?

Claim your business on Google and built out your Google profile. Here's how Google describes it:

"Google My Business is a free tool that lets you manage how your local business appears across Google products, like Maps and Search. If you run a business that serves customers at a particular location, or you serve customers within a designated service area, Google My Business can help people find you. Verified businesses on Google are twice as likely to be considered reputable by users."

Before I lose you and you think it's too complicated, I promise you that it's not. It took me about 10 minutes yesterday to do this for a client. You *do* have to have a Google Account (or Gmail address) to use this feature. If you don't have one, it's easy to create one here:

Once you have your account created, go to google.com/business and it will walk you through the process, step by step.

When you've verified your listing (often via a postcard in the mail), you'll see your Google search results improve and see something like this on your search-results page:

Plus, you'll have access to write short posts right on your new Google Business Page and receive email reminders when it's time to update! The great thing is that it's not time-consuming to manage like social media but it definitely helps with exposure and offering some credibility to your business. And yes, this is important for non-profits and small businesses, both. With the holidays right around the corner, there's no better time to make sure you're on Google's nice list!

Take some time this week and try it out! If you get stuck, feel free to email me for help!